Irregular migration to the EU and human smuggling in the Mediterranean : the nexus between organized crime and irregular migration

Smugglers have earned worldwide notoriety as orchestrators of human massacres, evil geniuses behind criminal trade, or amassers of untold riches made at the expense of their victims. While successful at activating public opinion and policy makers, have consistently failed to address the inner dynamics of the phenomenon. By looking at the structure and modus operandi of human smuggling in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, this paper problematizes mainstream narratives of smuggling networks. In so doing, it argues that an adequate response to the phenomenon requires a response other than the mere militarization of borders